title: Lipoprotein(a) levels in coronary heart disease-susceptible and -resistant patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is caused by defects in genes coding for proteins involved in low density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism, and is associated with increased risk of premature coronary heart disease (CHD). The clinical phenotype of FH exhibits marked variability due to additional metabolic and environmental factors, and further biomarkers are required for appropriate risk assessment. The aim of the present study was to search for risk markers among FH patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical and biochemical parameters of FH subjects with early CHD events (CHD-susceptible) and FH subjects with late or no CHD events (CHD-resistant) were compared. Our data show that CHD-susceptible FH patients had significantly higher Lipoprotein (Lp) (a) levels compared to CHD-resistant FH patients. When subdividing by gender, the main findings were that (i) CHD-susceptible women had significantly higher levels of both Lp(a), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein (apo) B as compared to CHD-resistant women, and (ii) CHD-resistant women had significantly lower Lp(a) levels and higher high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and apoA-I levels compared to CHD-resistant men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that Lp(a) may be an important coronary risk marker in FH patients, in particular in combination with elevated LDL cholesterol levels among female subjects. Thus, measurement of Lp(a) levels may help identifying high-risk individuals who could benefit from an aggressive therapy, including statins to reduce LDL-cholesterol to guideline-recommended levels.
authors.affiliation: Lipid Clinic, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, 0424 Oslo, Norway. marit.s.nenseter@rr-research.no
authors.forename: Marit S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nenseter
authors.forename: Henriette Walaas
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lindvig
authors.forename: Thor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueland
authors.forename: Gisle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Langslet
authors.forename: Leiv
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ose
authors.forename: Kirsten B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Holven
authors.forename: Kjetil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Retterstøl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000097:blood*; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012306:Risk; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D017270:Lipoprotein(a)